SANDUSKY, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio amusement park ride that
swings riders as high as 125 feet has been closed indefinitely after a
cable snapped, injuring two visitors.
Cedar Point spokesman Bryan
Edwards said a cable on one of the Skyhawk ride’s carriages disconnected
late Saturday. One rider was treated at a hospital and released. The
other person was treated at the scene, the park said.
A man who
said he was near the ride when the accident occurred at about 10 p.m.
reported hearing "something whip, then bang and screaming."
Kevin
Gregg of Barnegat, New Jersey, operator of an online amusement park fan
site called Themeparkmaniacs.com, told The Plain Dealer of Cleveland (http://bit.ly/1uw7wEy ) the ride slowed down to a
stop with riders screaming.
Gregg
said the cable damaged the fence in front of the ride where spectators
often stand and watch. He said he was back at Cedar Point on Sunday and
rides were operating normally, except for Skyhawk.
Skyhawk has two
giant arms that swing riders at speeds up to 60 mph. The park says the
ride was closed temporarily in 2013 for an unrelated reason.
Edwards said Skyhawk will remain closed until an investigation into the cause of the accident is
completed.
Edwards said in a statement: "Safety is our top priority."
Cedar Point is the flagship park of Cedar Fair Entertainment, the nation’s fourth-largest amusement park
company.
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